Lawn and landscaping services customarily employ a diversity of cutting and trimming equipment in order to accommodate the demands of the job site and to attain a high level of productivity. To handle the most common task of cutting ground cover, a commercial service maintain an inventory of multiple sized rotary mowers and will typically operate the largest sized mower that can be practically used for the job. Although maximum coverage is obtained by the use of large capacity riding mowers, they cannot be used in all applications. This fact, coupled with the substantial cost of such equipment, has led many commercial services to rely heavily on the use cf mid-size, walk behind rotary mowers. Mid-size walk-behind mowers are popular among commercial cutters because they have the maneuverability of a standard twenty-one inch walk-behind mower when working in tight areas, and the power and cutting capacity of a lawn tractor for large areas.
Yet, because mid-size mowers are fairly heavy and cumbersome pieces of equipment, they are often coupled with a rear-end riding attachment, commonly referred to the industry as a sulky--a two-wheeled seat and foot rest device, that allows the operator to be reasonably comfortably seated during prolonged operation of the mower. Now, although a sulky helps reduce operator fatigue, it effectively increases the wheelbase of the mower and requires the operator to take the position of the sulky into consideration in the course of guiding the mower. This problem is especially noticeable when attempting to maneuver the mower around tight curves (e.g. trees) and requires particular caution when backing up the mower. Moreover, as mower manufacturers have now offer enlarged cutting deck options for mid-sized product lines, an increased burden is placed upon a walk behind or ride behind operator.